"The arrival of Bezos and Soon-Shiong to 'rescue' two major American newspapers has shown us how hollow were any hopes that billionaires will or even can make a difference in today’s economic and political climate."

William Lindsey :toad:

"The shocking decision by The Washington Post not to make an endorsement in the presidential election — breaking with a decades-long tradition — is an extremely powerful statement. A non-endorsement says Donald Trump a reasonable choice."

~ Dan Froomkin

#Trump #fascism #WashingtonPost #JeffBezos #normalization
/2

A sickening moral collapse at the Washington Post

By not endorsing a presidential candidate, the Post endorses the lack of accountability.

(criticalread.substack.com)

William Lindsey :toad:

"This makes it more clear than ever: You cannot be a truly independent news organization if you are owned by an oligarch.

Bezos’ business interests are so vast that he is one gigantic conflict of interest. …

These institutions are not just succumbing to authoritarianism, they are advancing it."

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/3

William Lindsey :toad:

"The Post's newsroom treated Bezos's decision as front-page news today; the story by Manuel Roig-Franzia and Laura Wagner notes high up that 'angry readers and sources flooded the email inboxes of numerous staffers with complaints.' The story is the #1 most-read article on the Post's website this morning, and it has more than 36,000 comments so far."

~ Brian Stelter

#Trump #fascism #WashingtonPost #JeffBezos #normalization
/4

(view.newsletters.cnn.com)

William Lindsey :toad:

"I'm reliably told that the number of subscriber cancellations is in the thousands. (The Post isn't commenting.) An editorial writer told me this morning, 'I am overwhelmed with the number of heartfelt messages from readers cancelling but expressing personal appreciation for what I do. It breaks my heart.'"

#Trump #fascism #WashingtonPost #JeffBezos #normalization
/5

Cookiefiend

@wdlindsy 60,000 cancellations of digital subscriptions within 24 hours per one source, which cited the WaPo's business/marketing division.

William Lindsey :toad:

"This isn't surrender [by Bezos to Trump]. It’s a down payment."

~ Brian Fung as quotes by Brian Stelter

#Trump #fascism #WashingtonPost #JeffBezos #normalization
/6

tall one

@wdlindsy so we learn that Bezos’ assessment of what he needs is not related to his hobby, the Post. This can be hardly surprising the guy has bigger business elsewhere. Newspapers are almost just something to toy with, like a yacht for these people.

William Lindsey :toad:

"The subscriber cancellations are adding up fast at the Los Angeles Times, too, in the wake of its non-endorsement. Puck's Dylan Byers says the number is in the 'thousands.' Times reporter James Rainey filed a story Friday about the dustup."

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/7

Morten Kjeldgaard

@wdlindsy @cruiser Bezos’ decision is the new Streisand effect. Let’s call it “The Bezos effect”.

William Lindsey :toad:

"When Soon-Shiong bought the Los Angeles Times and when Bezos bought the Post, these moves were heralded as public-spirited efforts to help save journalism in a troubled financial era for newspapers. And there’s no doubt that both papers have done plenty of great work since then."

~ Margaret Sullivan

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/8

We needed courage. We got cowardice.

My thoughts on billionaires who own newspapers and betray the public interest

(margaretsullivan.substack.com)

James M.

@wdlindsy indeed. As others have pointed out, it may not be Bezos' fear of trump as much as it is quid pro quo.

William Lindsey :toad:

"But with their core values so callously betrayed — whether out of the owners’ fear of intimidation or financial self-interest or both — an indelible stain remains, just as it does at billionaire Elon Musk’s execrable dismantlement of Twitter."

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #ElonMusk #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/9

Philip Cardella

@wdlindsy Other countries REQUIRE 50% worker ownership. There's ZERO chance the workers are ok with these decisions. If they had power they'd override this "veto" of sorts.

William Lindsey :toad:

"A problem with the very wealthy is that, alas, the least vulnerable have a tendency to think of themselves as the most vulnerable.

And from that position they harm everyone else, while proclaiming that they are simply being neutral or following business interests."

~ Timothy Snyder

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/10

Obeying in advance

Media billionaires ask for tyranny

(snyder.substack.com)

Philip Cardella

@wdlindsy As I've said today, I don't think its cowardice. The Post has consistently been the worst national daily for labor coverage in the country. It's not even really close unless I'm missing something. They mostly ignore successful strikes, they villanize union leaders.

I'm willing to bet the ONLY thing Bezos bought the paper for was to control the narrative on labor unions and this year was the best year for labor in decades. So he's gone fascist.

William Lindsey :toad:

"But doing what Trump wants in advance only makes it more likely that Trump will have power, and only teaches him that you are easy to intimidate. You are giving the authoritarian power he would not otherwise have. The irony is that the rest of us will have to save the billionaires from their own cowardice."

#Trump #JDVance #fascism #LosAngelesTimes #WashingtonPost #PatrickSoonShiong #JeffBezos #EconomicElites #BusinessLeaders
/11

William Lindsey :toad:

"I immediately canceled my subscription to The Washington Post, and I’ve seen countless others do the same. I urge everyone else who values freedom of speech over tyranny, truth over lies, and hope over fear to consider canceling theirs as well. What good is a newspaper if its editors and journalists are not allowed to speak freely and honestly?"

~ Scott Dworkin

#Trump #fascism #WashingtonPost #JeffBezos #normalization
/12

WaPo Pulling Kamala Endorsement Previews What a Trump Dictatorship Looks Like

We won't stand for this

(www.dworkinsubstack.com)

William Lindsey :toad:

@philip_cardella I agree with you. I don't think he's obeying in advance and showing cowardice. I read him to be ushering in fascism.

William Lindsey :toad:

@philip_cardella Very good points.

William Lindsey :toad:

@jamesmarshall So it seems to me.